Bimmerbill

CONGRATULATIONS JOE
Bill

Barbary

Got a new windshield I was amazed at how better it looked, even bigger and how much more I could see.
A couple of days later I was cleaning it and first noticed there was no tint on the top at all. They never asked if I wanted tinted or not, and thought thats why it looked bigger and I could see more. I remember safelight asked me if I wanted grey or green tint. I couldn't remember what my current was and said I don't care.
I love the no tint, have to see what I think in the long run. Right now I like the "Big View"





Took the car out for a 100 mile test drive, Up and down a mountain _____All systems are Go!
Finally got it running at 100% what I was shooting for.

Barbary

I'm in flickr and a few photo clubs, I was in CL digital photography forum for a few years before I became an SC member. I actually know some CL oldtimers Like bitkahuna
and another's through that forum. Which is a long way of saying I'm always taking pics or working them up and I found this one just now
In Strawberry Calif. on the road to Lake Tahoe, 2016

Barbary

Just ordered Cerakote windshield glass coating. Trying to protect the new windshield, doubt they gave me their top of the line windshield. At the 80+ mph speeds I usually run the car, the windshields, this is the cars 3rd, take a big hit

Also got their headlight restorer. If you can believe it, the headlight is the cars original one. Yikes!...I do have new halogens inside.

Barbary

A neighbor gave me a can of Cerakote ceramic hybrid wax and I used it, then a 2nd time. It looked to me the purple in the paint became more pronounced, visible.
I liked that. Detailing the car a little with the ceramic cleaners, so far have done the headlights. Here are the before and after






















The results blew me away. Yes the headlights were real bad. Last year we had a season long monsoon and this year a ton of snow and they took their toll. I've tried to keep them in good a shape as possible over the years. I don't think I've ever gotten them this clear. I see way back and other details. In real time you can move around and see inside.
I can never say enough about Lexus quality. Those are 30 yr old original headlights. I never have a problem except the usual things wearing out
Also means I've never been in an accident.

OK those hits on the left bumper, I've had them since San Fransisco, I keep them on as the scars of a real Road Warrior, not a pozer, a garage queen. A true GT
"Long Distances at Hi-speeds"

Love that ceramic!

Bimmerbill

Joe,
Since they look pretty and clean why not have someone install a clear tint on them. I bet they will last a lot longer. This is my plan when I have time to tear mine apart and make some modifications. Just a thought.
Good luck,
Bill

RudysSC

Looks killer Joe!! It's amazing what cleaning up some old headlights does on these cars...

As for your bumper - that's what we call the "Colorado bumper" - full of rock chips from the seasons changing and our horrible roads lol. Mine is a disaster... However, my car is a little rough in general. I'd love to do a nice re-spray one day, however, I'm always one to focus on mechanical systems over aesthetics... Plus if I ever painted mine up nice I'd probably be scared to drive it anywhere!

Barbary

Thanks Bill, the Cerakote is a 3 step process. The first was a solvent cleaning off of the lens. 2nd was sandpaper the lens w their paper and 3rd Wiping a single coat of ceramic protectant, which they say is guarantied for life. We'll see how it does w my mountain and desert driving. Now if you mean go inside the lens, thats a step too far for me, I'm good right where I am
All the best___Joe

Barbary

Colorado bumper...wow!
Rudy, an SC and Tacoma and your good, all you need
and a good woman
Have had mine resprayed and touch it up myself, on going, and guess what___still looks like that. I think about respraying but I'm just like you "always one to focus on mechanical systems over aesthetics". My car has to run perfect, according to me, or I can't rest. I believe I'm there right now, finally.
Take care___Joe

Bimmerbill

Hey,
I am interested in the Cerakote also. Let me know how it goes. That may be the route I go.
Thanks,
Bill

RudysSC

Haha you got it Joe! I've got my SC, my Tacoma, and a wonderful wife. Life is good my friend!

Keep enjoying that bad boy. You inspire me to drive mine more. I'm looking at mine outside my office getting rained on as we speak. I can't wait to put the rear LSD to use on the way home

Barbary

I applied the Cerakote windshield glass ceramic coating a couple of days ago, I was apprehensive at first. I don't always get these things right and wind up w some mess thats irreparable. But this thing was pretty fool proof. Just wipe on once w their sponge east to west, then once up and down...done. Let it cure for an hour. Came out perfect, Nice, slippery to the touch and hoping for an extra layer of ceramic protection for the new windshield

Barbary

after 31 years the gasket in my radiator cap gave up the ghost
got a new radiator cap for the cars original radiator (amazing)

RudysSC

That bad boy still looks great under there! I'm amazed sometime at how long the original components in these cars can last. They truly were some of the most well made cars on the planet.

Barbary

This is the pic I posted in the forum below all ready
I wanted to talk about a few things I noticed, like the high new windshield. I call it high because it has no tint on top. I didn't specify one way or the other, I was just glad I could secure one for my 30 year old car . I didn't even notice till a few days later. In my car I think the no tint is great. Not sure how it would work in other models. I love it, from the outside in this pic it looks fine to me. On the inside it almost makes it look, panoramic. Really nice when I am out in the wilds looking at things. If it gets too sunny or whatever I pull down the visors.

The other thing you might notice, the car has no tint at all and I decided not to tint it
A Big reason is the car, due its color in some circles is known as a "Pimp Ride", I've been told more than a few times! It definitely triggers cops. Early on, I used to get looked at hard by them, followed and pulled over. Got familiar with "hands on the steering wheel" thing. It's not so bad now that I have a military Veterans license plate and a long US Air Force Veteran decal on my rear window. Its exactly the opposite, they let me slide when before they would have busted me (really nice) 👍

I decided it was in my best interest, that walking over to my car when pulled over, make sure they see my hands on the wheel. So no tinted windows anywhere.

But I'm not ever going to change the color. I like it! and so do others